‘I think I deserve a diploma’ – Norrie stuns Medvedev

French Open 2025

Location: Roland Garros, May 25 – June

In the first round of the French Open, world number 11 Daniil Medvedev defeated British player Cameron Norrie, who won one of his best victories of the year.

Norrie had lost all four of his previous matches against Medvedev, including a meeting in Rome earlier in May, against a top-20 player since January 2024.

The Russian repeatedly switched from being angry to dialled in as he forced a fifth set, which the world number 81 did brilliantly but had to withstand a Medvedev comeback.

In less than four hours, Norrie came back from a setback in the decisive to win 7-5, 6-3, 4-6, 1-6, 7-5.

Medvedev was unable to hold off Norrie, who won three games in a row to claim victory in the fifth game, which ended the match at 5-4.

After a protracted Medvedev forehand, Norrie celebrated by launching his racquet into the air.

Norrie, 28, said, “There wasn’t much on my mind at match point.”

“I thought he was a little tentative, but to be honest, it was a crazy match,” he said.

Because he has already defeated me four times, I believe I deserve a diploma for beating Medvedev. It was a dreamlike match.

Federico Gomez will face the Briton in the third round, beating the Argentine who was fortunate to lose.

Medvedev will claim at almost every opportunity that clay is not his preferred surface, but Norrie, who was outstanding, is not in doubt of that fact.

He continued to play well in the rallies with the defensive Medvedev, hitting with depth and particularly pummelling his forehand.

He had a bad first set, but Medvedev made a comeback as he stayed put while serving for it, as the Russian did once more at the conclusion of the match.

In the second, Norrie took the lead, with Medvedev yelling at his coach in French and frequently gesticulating to his box.

Before Medvedev found his focus, cutting out the theatrics and racing through two sets to force a decider, brave hitting gave Norrie a two-set lead.

All the energy was with Medvedev, who had broken Norrie in the third game, but a service game that had caused him to lose gave the initiative back to him.